Description

Valdesil Valderroa Mencia is a tasty drink. It has the bright red fruits, spice and ironstone on the nose. The palate is elegant, with some fine tannins and a savoury, earthy finish. I’m a huge fan of Mencia, and this is one of the gateways into quality.

Drink the Valdesil Mencia now with something tomato-based, and you’ll be happy.

Bodegas Valdesil Valderroa Mencia 2017, and all wines are eligible for at least 5% off any six bottles. And 10% off any 12 bottles. Some wines will be at a more significant discount and not subject to further discounts.

Bodegas Valdesil is one of the leading estates in Valdeorras. Valdesil has access to the Pedrouzos vineyard, planted in 1885 on own roots and still going strong. Not only does it produce amazing fruit, it is where they source their cuttings to propagate their vineyards. Needless to say, the Godello that comes from Pedrouzos is amazing. All the Valdesil Godello and Mencia are lovely, elegant wines befitting the region. Valdesil grows its grapes using organics.

Bodegas Valdesil Valderroa Mencia 2017 Wine Review

Nick Bulleid MW
Gourmet Traveller Wine
“for me had quite an exotic fragrance, showing ripe, sweet red fruits and spices. The fruit and savoury spice flavours are intense, and the tannins assist a balanced flow across the palate. This is just what region and variety should be doing together. Bourne agreed, writing, “Bold perfumes of dark berries and sweet mocha/chocolate. Well-structured with plenty of drive, the eager fruit and positive tannins well aligned.””

Valdeorras DO

Valdeorras is the easternmost wine region of Galicia, Spain. The vines sit on the hillsides around the river Sil. Godello is the main white of Valdeorras and Mencia is the primary red. The high altitude and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean make for elegant and aromatic wines.
The Romans were making wine in Valdeorras, and the region received DO status in 1945.

Mencia

Mencia is similar to Cabernet Franc in flavour, weight and structure. Mencia makes stunning wines from Bierzo, Valdeorras and surrounding regions. Highly aromatic, refreshing acids, nice texture, the top wines can improve with age. There is a lot to love.

Spain

Spain is probably more famous for the wines from the hot and dry parts. But the diversity of wine is equal to any country. And Spanish wine is a legitimate threat to the Australian wine market, with their dry-grown, old-vines able to produce the same quality as anything in Australia. If they were allowed to irrigate, they could release more wine at significantly less than any Australian equivalent.

The styles to try as a wine lover include Old school Rioja (leave them for 50 years, though, please!). Real Sherry, from Jerez, seriously, just try this stuff. Mencia from Bierzo and surrounds. Cava – if you thought Prosecco was poor man’s Champagne, well, good Cava makes Prosecco taste like Schweppes Mineral Water. And there are more amazing terroir wines across Spain.

Wine

Wine is the result you get from fermented grape juice. There is proof of wine production dating back 8000 years ago. Fashions, innovations and many other factors have influenced the way wine has evolved over the years.

The wine grape is special. It contains everything you need to make grape wine except for the yeast, which lives on the outside of the skins.

Human inputs can influence the final product, including the viticulture (growing) choices. And the winemaker can shape the wine to a point too.

The best wines of the world often refer to terroir. Terroir is a French term that refers to all the climatic, geological and topographical influences on a specific piece of land. And it is true that neighbouring vineyards, grown identically, can taste noticeably different.

Red Wine

Fun fact; most of the colour for wines comes from the skins. There are only a handful of grapes that have red juice. Alicante is the most well known of these grapes.

By macerating the juice on the skins, the wine gains tannins and flavours. Certain compounds change the chemistry of the wine too.

Red wines tend to have higher alcohol. More tannin and more oak flavours compared to other styles of wine. But the thousands of grapes and terroirs they grow in influence this.

The Wine Depository

I, Phil, have been running The Wine Depository since 2011. The Wine Depository exists to make sure you are drinking the good wines. You can browse and pick what is interesting to you. Or you can make contact with me. I’ll make sure you get what you want, to your palate, to your budget and to your door.